Welcome back to Romance Roundtable: a feature where the editorial POME Crones gather together to discuss romance comics. Today we’re covering Victoria Grace Elliott’s Please Be My Star: a Phantom of the Opera-tinged romance between two theater kids that dares to ask: can hotties be sickos??? [affectionate].
CC: well to kick off our first Romance Roundtable in a minute, I just wanna say I’m so stoked to be talkin about this book today!
Please Be My Star, by our pal, the one and only Victoria Grace Elliott!!!
I feel like that was more of a sports announcer voice than like, a thematically appropriate theater kid intro, but admittedly I was in band so I’m not sure how they do things in theater kid world
y’all wanna start things off with a summary?
Jenny: sicko loner woos hottie w the power of pure devotion
Rachel: Phantom of the Opera: Theater kid edition
CC: (as set in Texas)
Ashley: Elvis Costello Appreciators Vindicated
CC: LOL
Jenny: lmao yesssss
Ashley: for real, the way i literally like, settled in, got cozy, grabbed my blanket and sipped my coffee in glee after witnessing these first two pages
Jenny: the vibes are unmatched
Ashley: very “this is my hole”, very “this hole was made for me”
CC: Victoria hosted a signing yesterday and one thing I appreciated
was she mentioned that “BEFORE I BEGIN” intro is a direct Phantom homage! which also starts out, “this is a for real ghost story that actually happpened”
Rachel: oh i love that
CC: also love that the character names are parallels too heh heh
Rachel: to me, this book is:
Ashley: LOL TRULY
Jenny: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
CC: let’s go sickos!!!!! let’s go!!!!!
Rachel: sickos unite!!!!
Jenny: speaking of the character names being a Phantom homage…
our two leads:
Jenny: erika, sicko loner
and
Jenny: christian, hottie and closet-sicko
Rachel: this boy is a kpop and nobody can tell me otherwise
CC: unmatched power in drawing beautiful boys. getting more powerful all the time.
the duality of cute man:
Ashley: LOLLLLLLL i am miguel in this moment
shut up about watchmen!!
Rachel: i love it, we all have flaws
even hotties
Ashley: so true
CC: oh jesus here we go is right
Rachel: “do you know what your hottie is reading?? it could be watchmen”
Jenny: LMAO
CC: related: I love their pfps
Ashley: soooooo cuuuuuute
Jenny: yes! there were so many great details in this book! so many high quality little gags
Ashley: and i mean, the many layers contained within “erik(a)”
chef kiss
Jenny: def!
but also like
Jenny: everything was given the same level of love and care imo
really holds up to re-reading bc there are so many of these little details to find!
Ashley: yes!!! special shoutout to the depiction of texas fall. the quality of the light, the comments on the heat
very much gave me the feeling of being Seen like during the episode of jane the virgin where it’s thanksgiving and the house is decked out in fall garlands and pumpkins while everyone is wearing shorts and sandals
CC: LOL
seasonal and thematic
one feast of gags part I really loved
Jenny: yessssssss
CC: also followed by the extremely screenshotable:
Jenny: so much to take in
Rachel: god this made me want a jelly binder so bad
i literally started googling for jelly binders after reading this
Ashley: I SCREENSHOTTED THIS TOOOO lol
skill issue!!!!
Jenny: fucking lightning mcqueen though
Rachel: LOL yes the crush list is A+++
Ashley: OH MY GOD JENNY I MISSED LIGHTNING LMAO
Jenny: sick boyfriend concept
for real
CC: sans undertale
Rachel: fucking sephiroth, coming me for where i live
CC: every time I see that guy, I think about that zoomer tweet about sephiroth being boomer sans
Rachel: HAHAHAHAHA
CC: when i close my eyes i see him still: boomer sans
Ashley: lolololol
Jenny: LOLOLOLOL
Ashley: this page is making us all psycho (complimentary)
Jenny: but also genuinely loved how much this kept coming up
and by this i mean the insistence on how hot al pacino is
Ashley: even lesbians agree!!!!! al pacino can hit!!
CC: LMAO
Jenny: a truth universally acknowledged
CC: HAH
one thing I really love in this book that you touched on earlier Jenny, is that Christian is also a sicko!!!
I love that the romantic tension really draws so much on Erika getting in her own way
in a beautifully dramatic theater kid way
Jenny: yes! yes exactly
like
Jenny: yes! and like as soon as they even get close to having a real conversation about their feelings
BOOM
Jenny: incredibly relatable
can’t get hurt by someone else if you hurt yourself first!
facts
CC: 100% foolproof plan
Jenny: i see no flaws here
Ashley: my decade-long “writer’s block” CAN’T HEAR YOU, JENNY
CC: phantom is a great visual metaphor for your own internal hater monologue
Jenny: yeah and like it’s so good to see even the inner hater utterly baffled
CC: LMAO I screenshotted that too
Ashley: lollll
Jenny: though i do think that even w the huge role the phantom plays in trying to talk her out of being vulnerable…
Jenny: bestie just cannot stop saying shit like this
there is an urge to be loved that is stronger than fear, it seems!!
Rachel: 😭
Ashley: sounds fake
Jenny: lol
yea
Rachel: lolll honestly couldn’t be me
but good for her
Jenny: not in a million years
but like
it’s hard to dismiss the phantom’s negativity entirely when she’s also out here making some Solid Points
like
Ashley: i’m glad you brought that up, because i relished the parts where the phantom takes over erika and directs the haterade outward
“what if he’s exactly where he wants to be, Paola?”
Jenny: oh my god
Jenny: i love paola actually
this was hot
Rachel: the kabedon!!!
CC: I love nanami I mean paola
Ashley: forbidden ship absolutely
CC: kabedon queen
Jenny: but like
Jenny: she got some of the best gags!
Jenny: THIS
this AAHH
Ashley: ugh she’s too cute
Jenny: gold
CC: also dog
Ashley: CRY
Jenny: he protecc he attacc
CC: magnificent beast
Rachel: i know a dog just like that
Ashley: lololol
CC: if we’re talkin ensemble cast
gotta say
I love Morgan too
Jenny: my GOD
Jenny: yes
CC: this bitch
Rachel: this bitch!!!!!!!
Ashley: THE OCEAN COSTUME
goddddddddd
Jenny: w the PEARLS
CC: quitting piano bc it conflicted with football practice right? multitudes.
Jenny: he really was such a joy
Rachel: this kid got the memo re: boy is a state of mind
Jenny: lmao yesssss
Ashley: yes!!!
CC: 100% 100% 100%
these kids!!!! they’re all so cute!!!!
all these chapter dividers are so lovely and stylish but I think my fave was the crew in blazer fits
Rachel: so cuuutteee
Ashley: SO CUTE!!! I love Paola’s inclusion too 🥹
Jenny: we’re all blazer girl now!!
Ashley: all my homies love blazer girl
Jenny: i do want to mention that one of the things that really Got Me about this book
was how well it captured all the rough bits of being this age
like
Ashley: oh my god the pain was exquisite
Jenny: IS there any soul braver than Victoria Grace Elliott??
yes exactly!!
the pain
but also like
Jenny: having a breakdown in your room
Ashley: R E A L
with the perfect “all good” voice for mom
CC: my heart is broken, my disappointment is immeasurable, oh sorry I’ll keep it down
Jenny: SO REAL!!!
in the same way that every opportunity for a gag was taken, it also felt like every opportunity to be vulnerable was taken
CC: yeah agreed!
Rachel: some of those STILL hit
like
Rachel: I AM 36
OH NOOOO
Jenny: OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
CC: GOD YEAH
Jenny: EXACTLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Rachel: i am hugging you all so tightly
Ashley: AWWWW
CC: I mean speaking of vulnerability, like
sometimes just showing people how much you love and care about somebody feels exactly like this!!!!
CC: if you’re a teen or in your 30s!!!!
Jenny: YESSS
i have this one too
Ashley: resident divorcee, can confirm
Jenny: ART IS SO POWERFUL
CC: the mortifying ordeal of being known vs the comfort of love dot jpg
Ashley: i don’t want to reveal it, but the ending of the play did in fact make me cry irl
Jenny: SAME!!
CC: can we have a spoiler zone in here? bc there is something I really wanna talk about in here!
Ashley: oooo i vote yes
Jenny: def
Rachel: spoiler zone activated!!
CC: RAD ok well
I think the most beautiful part of this book, kinda building on the stuff we’ve been talking about
is the core idea that as much of a freaky weirdo as you think you are, you can find people who love the whole person you are! including and sometimes especially the stuff you think is weird about yourself!!!!
CC: it’s hard to let yourself be loved! it’s easier to push people away and hide from being vulnerable!!! but it’s worth doing!
you don’t have to become a different person to be loved!!!!
CC: 😭
also: hot people can be freaks too! [affectionate]
Jenny: and thank god for that
Rachel: more like, people who read watchmen can be redeemed
Jenny: LMAO
Ashley: ugggggggggh once again, as resident divorcee, can only hope
CC: TOOOO BE FAIR I feel like Christian has a perfect “I am a Youth Reading Comics” take and he is probably at the beginning of his comics journey
whomst among us you know?
Rachel: lol yes i just love to be a hater
Ashley: i have read watchmen and i do love it and i also hate everyone who has ever been like “WATCMEN!!”
Rachel: yes!!! this lol
Ashley: self-inclusive!!
CC: LOL
i’m in this picture and i don’t like it lmaooo
Ashley: just trying to be brave and vulnerable,
CC: LOL real
Jenny: gotta say that there were a few moments where christian like, really channelled that
time to be brave and vulnerable
time to FLIRT
Jenny: and i loved it!
loved to see him doing what felt like basically “wow your hands are soooooo much bigger than mine”
CC: LOL
Rachel: AHAHAHAHH
Ashley: LOL and i too would have been like, “there’s no way he’s trying to get me to touch him, this is simply dedication to his craft”
Jenny: YES
but at the end when he’s like: i did all this flirting and you didn’t even notice!
felt exactly like the 9th grade flashback of sobbing in her room “did you even ask him”
being a sicko is a universal experience
Ashley: BUT I TOLD MIGUEL NOT TO THROW OUT MY WATER BOTTLE!! HELLOOOOO
Jenny: I WAS SO OBVIOUS!!!
and idk
i just loved seeing a hot sicko
Ashley: two hot sickos!!!
Jenny: fair
two hot sickos twisting everything around in their heads
they’re just like us fr
CC: love is real baybeeeeee
Rachel: be the hot sicko you want to see in the world
CC: no one’s too hot to overthink everything
legally obligated to overthink it all, esp as a Youth ™
Jenny: lol exactlyyyyyy
y’all ready for final thoughts?
CC: I am!
Ashley: yesssss can i go first plz? mine is silly
Jenny: def
Ashley: okay, prefacing this with i’m cuban, not mexican but… * pitbull voice * LET’S GO LATINOOOOOS
Ashley: latinos love felix! i don’t know why!!!!
CC: LOL
Jenny: again that attention to detail coming in hot!!
Ashley: perfection! also, as longtime fans, i know we were all here for victoria’s food drawings making some gorgeous appearances
CC: oh yeah, that actually brings me to my final thought
which is
VGE still the best in the game at drawing beautiful food i want to eat
Ashley: god yessssssss
Jenny: delicioussssss
Rachel: all that Yummy/Tasty work paying off!!
i want to eat that!!!!
CC: love to see a dash of beautiful food
if we have enchiladas for dinner this panel is why LOL
Ashley: i literally was just like, “we have food at home but what if i went to the taco truck for lunch….”
CC: what if you said we have food at home but victoria said NO
Jenny: LOL
Ashley: she would never do me like that!!!! right???
CC: LOL
Jenny: my final thought is do y’all ever think about how many teachers are also putting in unpaid hours as matchmakers?
CC: king shit
love 2 see it
Jenny: this guy’s just like “you seem like the type” i know exactly what these little sickos need
a one-act play contest!
CC: LOL
Jenny: the perfect recipe for romance!
Rachel: it’s true!!!
basically this romance is sponsored by this guy
bless
CC: he really made it happen
Rachel: ok my final thought is
this hit me so hard
Jenny: 😭😭😭
Ashley: awwwww ❤️❤️
Rachel: like YES this thing matters to you, you do NOT need to apologize!!
also the fact that it matters to you is something I (christian) love!!!
CC: 😭
Ashley: le sigh
Rachel: as a cancer, i love having my feelings validated in this way
Ashley: hahahahahaha
CC: he is so wonderful and supportive from the get-go and I love that about him
Rachel: he gets it!!!!
CC: he really does!!!
ahh! I’m so excited we got a chance to talk about this one!
Ashley: me toooooo it was such a delight
Jenny: same!!
Ashley: and really a much needed breath of fresh air after a very exhausting week
CC: a soothing balm on my soul for sure
Join us next time for even more love story shouting in our next Romance Roundtable! In the meantime, Monthly Ko-Fi members: head on over to Ko-Fi for just a few bonus goofs and hot takes that didn’t make it into today’s roundtable, as a treat.
All images via Victoria Grace Elliott’s Please Be My Star and used with permission.
In the interest of full disclosure: Elliott is a longtime friend of the POMEmag editorial coven and has collaborated with us in the past. On the other hand, we truly love this title and we’ve never pretended to be unbiased about anything in our entire publishing history LOL. Please check out Please Be My Star wherever fine books are sold!